Shorter route to Mohali airport: 80 oppose acquisition policy

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, February 15

The UT Administration’s ambitious project to establish a shorter route to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Mohali faces a setback as around 80 landowners have filed objections land acquisition process. They have refused to comply with UT’s Negotiation Policy of 2018 and insisted on the Punjab or Haryana’s land pooling policy.

The objections have been submitted to Land Acquisition Officer Sorabh Kumar Arora and will be forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner and other senior officers for a final decision.

In November last year, UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit approved the acquisition of land for the project through UT’s Negotiation Policy of 2018. Subsequently, the Administration issued a compensation notification ranging from Rs 2.54 crore to Rs 3.34 crore per acre. However, the landowners have rejected this policy, advocating for land acquisition through Punjab or Haryana’s land pooling policy or the 2013 Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act.

A delegation of landowners stated that they would not relinquish their land through the negotiation policy but only through the land pooling policy. They have threatened to hold a protest if the Administration moved ahead with its initial policy.

The Administration has planned to acquire 51 acres in Chandigarh Jagatpura and Khandala villages. The new road will start from the T-point of Vikas Marg , The current distance from this intersection to the airport is 11.5 km after traversing through Mohali. The shorter route will reduce it to around 3.5 km, thereby bringing the travel time down to 5 minutes.

Negotiation policy

In November last year, UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit approved the acquisition of land for the project through UT’s Negotiation Policy of 2018. Subsequently, the Administration issued a compensation notification ranging from Rs 2.54 crore to Rs 3.34 crore per acre

Land pooling scheme

The land pooling scheme offers owners residential or commercial plots in exchange for their land, presenting an alternative to the one-time monetary compensation under UT’s Negotiation Policy. The 2013 Act ensures relief based on the collector rate and provides a job for one family member.